SAMPLE
Explore simple patterns
MATHS LEARNING SAMPLE
Classroom learning
Children have been learning about the concept of pattern. They have been learning to recognize simple patterns such as spots, stripes, checks, and f lowers. There are examples of these in this book.
Supporting children
Exploring patterns in the environment will help children to understand simple patterns. You can ask children about the patterns on materials or in colouring activities. You can also help to develop children’s understanding of repeating patterns in songs or rhymes.
Series Editor: MK Connolly
This story is designed for an adult to read to a child. A child may be able to read the larger, decodable text.
SAMPLE
Written by Abbie Rushton
Illustrated by Pauline Gregory
It was a hot night in the forest. Herb had decided to go to his favourite mud pool to cool down. Then he planned to have a picnic by the river.
Herb sighed happily as he looked up at the bright moon.
Just then, Herb saw something moving among the trees.
‘I recognize those stripes!’ thought Herb. ‘That’s Zig!’ Herb climbed out of the mud pool to speak to his friend. He was covered from head to toe in mud!
‘Zig!’ he called.
When Zig spotted Herb he let out a cry of surprise.
‘Argh!’ he yelled. ‘A mud monster!’
Zig raced off.
‘Zig, come back! It’s me!’ called Herb, but Zig had already gone.
‘Oh dear,’ Herb thought. ‘I’ll have to catch up with Zig and explain what has happened.’
Herb hurried after Zig. He spotted Zig’s stripes among the trees.
What patterns can you see in the picture?
Herb tried to catch up with his friend, but Zig disappeared through a gap in some bushes.
Herb squeezed through the bush and wriggled out the other side.
Now Herb was covered in mud and leaves.
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What patterns can you see on Herb?
Just then, Herb heard voices coming from behind a large tree. Zig was talking to his sister, Jazz. ‘It was … a scary mud monster!’ he said.
Herb went round the tree and said, ‘Zig! Jazz! It’s me!’
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‘Argh!’ cried Zig and Jazz together. ‘The mud monster!’
Herb ran after Zig and Jazz, but he tripped over a pile of twigs and branches on the ground.
Now Herb was covered in mud, leaves, and twigs.
By the time Herb had got back up, Zig and Jazz had gone.
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‘I can’t look that scary,’ thought Herb. ‘Maybe I should go down to the river and wash all this off. Then I can find my friends and explain what’s happened.’
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Herb began to walk towards the river. He walked through a patch of f lowers.
Now Herb was covered in mud, leaves, twigs and f lowers.
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Just then, something landed on Herb’s nose. It was a moth.
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What pattern do you see on the moth? What do you notice about the spots? The spots are in a repeating pattern.
The spotty moth f lapped its wings. Herb grinned.
‘At least you’re not scared of me,’ he said.
When Herb reached the river, he looked at his ref lection in the water. Then he began to chuckle.
‘I don’t look like myself at all!’ he thought. ‘No wonder Zig and Jazz ran off.’
Herb went into the water to wash off the f lowers, twigs, leaves, and mud.
He saw something move in the water nearby. Suddenly, a head popped out of the water. It was covered in weeds.
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‘Argh!’ cried Herb. ‘A weed monster!’
Just then, a second head popped up. ‘Argh! Two weed monsters!’ Herb yelled.
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The first weed monster said, ‘Herb? Is that you?’
‘Zig?’ Herb cried. ‘Jazz?’
‘Shh,’ said Zig. ‘We’re hiding from the mud monster.’
When Herb explained that he was the mud monster, they all burst out laughing.
Herb and his friends climbed out of the river.
All the running around had made them hungry. Herb went to get his picnic basket from beside the mud pool.
They all settled down on Herb’s checked picnic blanket.
Herb looked up at the stars and let out a happy sigh.
‘What a beautiful night,’ he said.
Sit.
Zig gave a happy sigh too. ‘I will sleep well now I know there aren’t any mud monsters in the forest!’ he said. ‘And I will sleep well knowing there aren’t any weed monsters!’ said Herb, laughing.
Sip it.
Mud monster moves
Pretend that you are the mud monster by copying or singing along to the moves.
Repeat the pattern. Squelch, squeeze, wash.
Squelch
Squeeze
Talking with children about maths concepts can help deepen their understanding and grow their mathematical skills. Children also benefit from hearing and using key maths vocabulary in multiple contexts. Some suggestions to support children in learning through talk have been included in this story.
The following words are highlighted in bold in the book.
checked ADJECTIVE (page 22)
marked with a pattern of squares or crossing lines
f lower NOUN f lowers (pages 2, 13, 18)
1. The part of a plant from which the seed or fruit develops. Many f lowers are brightly coloured.
2. Plants with f lowers are also called f lowers. • Roses are my mum’s favourite f lowers.
pattern NOUN patterns (pages 6, 8, 14, 21, 23, 24)
1. a decorative arrangement of lines or shapes
2. the regular way in which something happens
repeat VERB repeats, repeating, repeated (pages 14, 21, 24)
To repeat something is to say or do it again.
Other useful words to talk about
among, amongst PREPOSITION (pages 3, 6) surrounded by; in the middle of • The bandits were hiding among the bushes.
cover VERB covers, covering, covered (pages 3, 8, 11, 13, 18)
To cover someone or something is to put another thing over them or around them.
decide VERB decides, deciding, decided (page 2)
To decide something is to make up your mind about it or make a choice.
maybe ADVERB (page 12) perhaps
plan VERB plans, planning, planned (page 2)
To plan to do something is to intend to do it.
spot NOUN spots (pages 2, 14)
a small round mark
spotty ADJECTIVE spottier, spottiest (page 15)
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Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries
Text © Oxford University Press 2025
Illustrations © Pauline Gregory 2025
The moral rights of the author have been asserted First published 2025
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
or
in a
for
Acknowledgements
Written by Abbie Rushton
Illustrated by Pauline Gregory
The publisher wishes to thank White Rose Maths, MK Connolly, and Voice 21 for their help in producing this book.
Something that is spotty has small round marks on it.
star NOUN stars (pages 2, 22) a shape that has five or more points sticking out all round it
stripe NOUN stripes (pages 3, 6) a long narrow band of colour
recognize (also recognise) VERB recognizes, recognizing, recognized (page 3)
To recognize something or someone is to know who they are because you have seen them before. • I thought I recognized your face.
ref lection NOUN ref lections (page 16) A ref lection is what you see in a mirror, or in anything shiny.
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